Worcestershire & Herefordshire R.F.U.
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R.F.U.
As before, the focus is on
competitive, social rugby, more local fixtures, more guaranteed fixtures for
lower sides, and an opportunity for clubs to develop their strength in depth.
For that reason, we do not set hard-and-fast laws, as with league or Cup rugby,
but rather some definitive rules supported by other guidelines, designed to
provide sufficient structure to the competition, without being too rigid, and by
doing so, maintain a certain ethos/spirit of the competition. That said, we have
slightly modified the regulations/guidelines this season, but this is mainly to
establish a certain level of consistency with the West Midlands Reserve Leagues
and the principles of the RFU Game On initiaitves.
Breaches/abuses of the competition spirit are taken seriously and are referred
to the Worcester and Hereford RFU General Purposes Committee or the North
Midlands RFU Competitions sub-committee.
We feel that the regulations and
guidelines listed below should assist in maintaining this ethos, within a
suitable structure:
1.
All games to be played in accordance with the Laws of the game as laid down by
the Rugby Football Union (RFU).
2.
All clubs to use Society Referees (wherever possible)
3.
Merit league fixtures should take precedent over friendly fixtures.
4.
Results should be communicated by BOTH teams as soon as possible after the game,
by email, text or phonecall, ideally by Monday evening at the latest.
5.
Players do not need to be registered in order to play – this is to help where
clubs wish to try out a new member, prior to registration. Therefore, a player
changing clubs may represent his new club immediately
6.
The league points are structured to encourage the playing of the games:
4
points for a win when played, 3 points for a default win when not played
(see below), 2 points for a draw, 1
point for a playing loss, 0 points for a match lost through forfeiting (see
point 8 below).
These are set to encourage games to be played, and even the non-defaulting club
has an incentive.
7.
Following on from previous seasons, and to maintain consistency with other
competitions, we are introducing bonus points:
1 point for 4 tries or more,
and 1 point for a loss of 7 points or less.
However, try bonus points will not count if the match result is not
communicated within a week of being played – validating retrospectively is an
administrative nightmare, and not practical. Obviously, the losing bonus point
is easy to validate, so the same restriction does not need to apply.
8.
If a team has to call off a fixture:
a.
due to lack of player availability, then a ‘default’ victory of 14-0 is
awarded to the
opposition, subject to whether the match is re-scheduled – the onus is therefore
on the cancelling team to
get the
match played at a later date. The number of games called off in past years has
sometimes been disappointing, but I know as a fixture secretary the decision is
never taken lightly. There have been a few late call-offs, and some of these
were on Saturday morning – we appreciate that one-off/extenuating circumstances
can happen, but we feel that clubs should have a good idea already by Thursday
night, so could at least warn the opposition, and should know for sure on Friday
evening, still allowing the opposition team some chance of securing a friendly
fixture via the pool. Please therefore try to respect this and help other clubs.
As a result of an increasing trend in late call-offs, we are maintaining
a harsher penalty, whereby a Saturday call-off (weather excluded) will still
incur a higher penalty of a 40-0 loss, but will also now face
a
1-point deduction, and not just the zero points for forfeiting.
b. Although the situation has
improved in recent years, in some past seasons, there have been occasions where
a 2nd team fixture was called off, but the 3rds still played. Normal
convention would be that the 3rds should fulfil the 2nds fixture in such
circumstances. However, we know that in some such cases, stepping the 3rds up
could have left some of them out of their depth – a concern if there are younger
players involved. We don’t want one-sided fixtures, but accept that this may
sometimes happen. However, we do need to give safety the proper consideration. I
would ask clubs to fulfil the higher fixture, and postpone the lower match in
such circumstances, UNLESS there would be a REAL risk to players. We would like
to trust the clubs’ honesty on this, so as not to be too strict, and leave it to
the captains/fixture secretaries to agree the appropriate fixtures.
However, if we feel a team does call off a game for a higher side, and then, by
virtue of using some of those players, subsequently wins the lower fixture by a
disproportionate amount, we reserve the right to reverse the result. (see also
rule 14 below about ‘toploaded’ teams) We have already set a precedent in the
use of this measure.
c.
call-offs due to unplayable pitches, we suggest that the first course of action
is to reverse the fixture if that is possible. Secondly, some clubs may find it
possible to play at a neighbouring club. If neither option is possible, the game
should be re-scheduled, which both clubs should endeavour to do. If the weather
is at fault, and both clubs have made reasonable effort, then neither will
forfeit. In such a case, at the end of the season, the fixture will be deemed ‘void’
but with a 0-0 draw, and 2-points each awarded
9.
Teams should start the game with an experienced front row, and therefore with
contested scrums. In the event that, at the last minute, this is not possible,
on agreement between both captains, the game can take place with uncontested
scrums. The referee should obviously be advised and should also be happy. As
long as all parties are happy, it is better for a game to played uncontested,
than not at all. If one or other parties is unhappy playing an uncontested
league fixture, the game should proceed as a friendly, and the merit table
fixture re-arranged. If it is not agreed to be played as a merit game at the
time, nor is it rearranged, then the team not providing the full front row shall
be deemed to have forfeited, and the 14-0 rule (see point 8a) shall apply.
If agreed and played as a Merit fixture (which is the preference), then should
the team who are unable to field a front row win the match
they will receive
2 POINTS MAXIMUM.
Should the
team fielding a full front row win they will be awarded full points as per Rule
6 and the losing side will receive 1 point as per the same rule.
In the event of a drawn match, each club will receive 2 points.
If a game goes into uncontested scrums after the start, normal rules will apply.
ie Winner takes 4 points and the loser 1 point.
All games involving uncontested scrums must be reported to the Merit table
Administrator.
Not having a full front
row is not a valid reason for cancelling a fixture.
10.
A maximum of 5 replacements can be used, where player availability allows, and
we advise front row cover where possible. Teams can, however, play without
replacements, or anything up to 5, if player availability, or requirements in
other teams dictate this. As with the lower leagues in the RFU structure,
rolling substitutions are allowed.
11.
In the exceptional circumstance that teams have a surplus of possible
replacements, it is possible to have a higher number than 5, as long as both
teams and the referee are in agreement. Rolling subs are still allowed in these
circumstances
12.
Similarly, if a team cannot raise a full complement of 15 players- ie. They have
12, 13, 14 (or even as few as 9!), on agreement between the two captains, they
can play short – games should not be called off for this reason if possible.
Also, if the captains agree, there is no problem with borrowing players in order
to balance the sides.
In fact, to encourage this: NINE (9) men per side shall be deemed the minimum
required for a game to proceed. However, there will be no more than one man
advantage to any team at the start of the game.
Whilst it is the committee’s aim to encourage teams ‘lending’ players to
the opposition to satisfy numbers and play the game both captains must agree the
exchange before the game begins. In the event of injury and a lack of
replacements, it is allowed to continue the game with more than a one-man
advantage, but sides are encouraged to ‘balance’ the numbers, rather than have a
one-sided contest.
13.
If a game does not take place, we will allow up to 8 weeks for a new date to be
set(not
necessarily played). If this cannot be done in the time scale, the forfeit of
the fixture, or the ‘void result’ will stand. This is to avoid late chase-ups of
games/results and/or frantic re-arrangements late in the season. For March/April
postponements, therefore, the re-arranged date should be set within the 8 weeks,
or before the end of the season, whichever, comes sooner.
14.
In the event that a higher team (eg. 2nds) has their game cancelled, it is
not permissible to play members of that higher team in a lower team’s (eg
3rds) merit game. This is contrary to the spirit of the Merit tables. Therefore,
if we get
a complaint that a team
has top-loaded their squad, and the result was distorted, and after examining
the evidence, we feel the complaint should be upheld, then the ‘toploading’ team
will face sanctions: 1) will be deemed to have forfeited, and the result
reversed. 2) they may be docked points 3) if persistent offenders, they may be
excluded from the Merit tables.
15.
During the course of the season the position in the league will be based on
League Points awarded and the points difference.
If, at the end of the season, in the event of a tie between teams
involved in either promotion or relegation, points difference may not be the
final criteria.
Issues such as
unplayed games, forfeited games, and other factors will be taken into
consideration.
The results and
consequent points differences in the fixtures between the two teams concerned
will also be taken into account.
16.
Abandoned matches: if a match is abandoned, for whatever reason, The time, score
and reason for the abandonment is to be notified and the matter will then be
referred to the Merit table Administrator.
Their decision will be final subject to Appeal
If less than 60 minutes have passed, then the game shall be deemed ‘void’ and
will need to be re-scheduled. If more than 60 minutes of playing time have
elapsed, then the score at the point of abandonment shall stand, UNLESS the
reasons for the abandonment suggest another course of action is more
appropriate.
17.
Appeals:
All
appeals should be submitted in writing to myself, and copied to the opposing
team for the match in question. In the case of a disputed result or an issue
over a particular game, I, myself, or, also in conjunction with other W & H
officers, or
If I feel unhappy or unable to make any particular decisions, I will refer to
the Worcester and Hereford RFU Committee.
Similarly, if the appealing club is not happy, they can elevate to the
said Committee.
In the event of this Committee failing to draw a satisfactory conclusion, then
the issue will be addressed within the North Midlands Competitions
Sub-Committee.
A copy of these guidelines will also be shared with the Referee’s Societies.
If any of you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Best Regards
Trevor Humphrey
Contact info.:
Trevor Humphrey
8 Sunshine Close
Ledbury
Herefordshire
HR8 2DZ
Tel.: 01531 6357774
Mob.: 07808 987846
E-mail:
Trevorthump@aol.com
Website: www.worcs-hfdsrfu.co.uk , mail address: results@worcs-hfdsrfu.co.uk